Socio-Political

Last year, there was a lot of hullabaloo about the proposal that Bangsa Moro history be taught to Filipino high school students. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the Department of Education spearheaded the proposal. There was applause everywhere, including among the Moros. Some Moros were happy and even proud that their history would finally be studied in schools, as if the Moros were never mentioned in Philippine secondary school textbooks.

In the first place, the Bangsa Moro is NOT absent in Philippine textbooks — elementary, high school or college textbooks. The Moros have always been mentioned — but usually as heathens, bandits, outlaws and later, terrorists. They are portrayed as heathens, infidels and pirates whom the Spaniards regularly “punished” by sending “punitive expeditions” to Moroland every so often. In the American period, the Moros were portrayed mostly as bandits and outlaws. And in contemporary Philippines, Moros are portrayed in the media and some textbooks as terrorists.

HISTORY AS SOCIAL CONSTRUCT

History is “the act of selecting, analyzing and writing about the past. It is something that is done, that is CONSTRUCTED.” (Davidson and Lytle 1982). Much of the “official” Philippine history is a CONSTRUCT of the indigenous elites (but they refuse to be called indigenous!) of Luzon who came into political and economic leadership during the American Occupation.

The country’s “official” history can be defined as history generally taught in schools and propagated by government institutions. The official historical view claims that 350 years of Spanish rule in the Philippines included Moroland – and that the Moros and the non-Moros have a SHARED HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE (which is FARTHEST from the TRUTH). Spanish attacks against the Moros were called “punitive expeditions against rebellions.” Moro victories over the Spanish were denied or ignored. Moro raids on the Christian natives were called pirate attacks. The same with the American regime. Teaching this history to Filipino students – whether in elementary, high school or college – is NOT going to bring about unity in the country. On the contrary, this will deepen the divide between the Moros and the Christian majority.

UNDERSTANDING HISTORY

The Filipinos do not even have full comprehension of their history, how can they teach Moro history? I once gave a seminar on Philippine history to faculty members of an exclusive school in Metro Manila. Most teachers there did not know a lot of their own history. They could not even answer my questions.

And what kind of Moro history will they teach? They will boast that Sultan Azim ud Din of Sulu (Alimuddin) was the only Christian Sultan of Sulu? They will not explain or could not explain the context of the conversion and the whole socio-religious-political situation of that long period in Philippine-Moro history. And that would take a lot of explaining to elementary students.

Also, “official” Philippine history began in 1521 with Magellan’s “discovery” of the Philippines. The period before that is Philippine’s pre-history. By that time, various Moro datuships, rajahnates and sultanates – esp, the Sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao and the Rajahnate of Buayan — were already established. By that time, the Moros had already engaged the Portuguese in battles in Mindanao and Ternate. In short, Moro history predates “official” Philippine history. So how can Filipino history teachers teach what they had not studied?

HISTORY FROM WHOSE VIEWPOINT?

It is easy to say to teach Moro history to Filipino students. But what kind of history? Whose version of history?“Official” Philippine, including Moro, history is still being constructed since the American era by the country’s powers-that-be.

Perhaps we need to let Philippine historical studies undergo some form of Heideggerian destructuring (destruktion) or Derridean deconstruction before we can even begin talking about teaching Moro history to Filipino school children.

Let the Moros concentrate on getting REAL AUTONOMY or SELF-DETERMINATION for the Bangsa Moro — be it a federal state, sub-state or independent state. Let the teaching of history come later. Perhaps, the people who are in most need of learning Bangsa Moro history are the Moros themselves.

My blog Reflections on the Bangsa Moro was lost in 2011 when the bloghost BLOGSOME.COM folded. I never thought blogsome would close down. It seemed like a small but solid enterprise in Ireland. They must have sent warnings to its clients but I must have been too busy then doing other things so I wasn’t able to export the contents to my other blogs.

With the rains doing havoc on my schedule, I spent my time these past few days browsing the ‘net to look for any posts I have that were re-blogged by others. To my surprise, I found my two most popular posts from that blog – Maratabat and the Maranaos& Filipino Crab Mentality archived. Archived is not re-blogged. Archived is somehow hidden unless one knows where to look.

So, after being lost and hidden for some four years, I am re-posting it here in its entirety, together with the comments.

I first read about Filipino crab mentality when I was freshman in college in the mid 1970s. At that time I did not understand what crab mentality was all about. But the image — of crabs almost succeeding in getting out of the basket only to be pulled back down by their fellow crabs — stuck in my mind.

From where I came from, crab mentality was not in our consciousness. I thought that leadership did not come by chance, it was destined. Those who were born brilliant or with good bloodline or with riches are the natural leaders. They could of course, choose not to be leaders. But the mediocre ones simply could not be leaders.

When I was growing up, I saw only deserving leaders. My idol, of course, was my father. He was the first Moro lawyer, fiscal and CFI judge. His reputation for intelligence, uprightness and honesty was recognized widely – in all of Lanao, Cotabato, Zamboanga and Sulu and in the halls of power in Manila. His best friends – Alonto, the Sinsuat brothers, Pendatun, and Amilbangsa were leaders of their people. Alonto and Pendatun became senators while Duma Sinsuat was a Cabinet member. They all appeared to be equipped with proper credentials – education, bloodline, ambition and leadership qualities.

My mother’s relatives and friends were also in positions of leadership, some of them national leaders. My eldest sister’s husband was also climbing up the political leader. He was a graduate of Cornell University. His elder brother was a graduate of Stanford University.

My brothers were making names for themselves in College. At the Ateneo de Davao, Jun took practically all the leadership posts – from President of the Student Council, to ROTC Corps Commander, to Captain of the Debating team. At the University of the Philippines, he was a campus figure and was a national youth leader. Sing, on the other hand, filled his shelves with dozens of trophies from oratorical contests.

In school, I learned about Jose Rizal and the Propagandists, all brilliant and brave writers and artists. And the revolutionaries – Bonifacio, Aguinaldo, Antonio Luna, Apolinaro Mabini – were all great leaders.

Datu Amai Pakpak of Marahui

On the Moro historical front, I constantly heard of my father’s clan’s hero – Datu Amai Pakpak, the hero of Marawi in the fight against the Spaniards. On my mother’s side, there was Sultan Pandapatan and the datus of Bayang who fought the Americans in the Battle of Bayang.

My childhood was filled with stories from my father who told me about the mythical Moro heroes Rajah Indarapatra and Datu Bantugan as well as the legendary Persian heroes Sohrab and Rustum.

My mother, on the other hand, filled me with stories about her father, mother, grandparents, uncles and aunts who all seemed to have lived in a land and time far removed from mid to late 20th century Manila.

By the time I was 10 years old, I had memorized Greek and Roman mythology as well as some Nordic myths and the German story of Sigfried the Dragon Slayer.

These mythical and real heroes were men and women of destiny. They did not come to power and responsibility by pulling others down.

All throughout my life, I’ve seen relatives assume positions of leadership. And so did I. From grade school to graduate school, from Cub Scout to Boy Scout, I’ve always found myself on top of the heap even if I refused to be one.

The concept of crab mentality was alien to me until I saw them in action much much later. It was the time when mediocrity shamelessly exposed itself all over the government. That was the time of Corazon Cojuangco – Aquino.

ORIGINS

When the Spaniards conquered Luzon and Visayas in the late 16th century, the natives, or Indios or Naturales as they were called by the Spaniards, lost all their rights to life, liberty and property. For 350 years, the indios were considered perpetual legal minors. They could not even own property or do practically anything unless approved by their legal guardians – the Spanish civil or church officials.

The Spaniards owned all properties in the islands. But, they gave some to their favorites – their sidekicks, their lovers or their illegitimate children. These favorites became the native elites called Ilustrados. These ilustrados were the cronies of the Spaniards. They managed the plantations in behalf of the Spaniards, much like the cronies of President Marcos who managed the business conglomerates in behalf of Marcos.

The favorites of these ilustrados became the petty politicians – the gobernadorcillos, the alcaldes, the tenientes del barrio, etc. These petty politicians and their families made up the native middle class called the Principalia.

Peninsulares

The rest of the population had to serve these classes and the Spaniards who were then called Filipinos. There were two kinds of Filipinos – the Peninsulares and the Insulares. The former were the Spaniards born in Spain but residing in the Islands. They were usually the officials sent by the Spanish government and church – from the Governor-General and the Archbishops down to the lowest officials. The Insulares were the Spaniards who were already born in the Islands. These were the landholders and business people.

For the indios or naturales to have a good life, they needed to be in the

Insular

good graces of the Filipinos. The women could be the lovers of these Filipinos. It was common for Spanish priests to sire mestizo children. Jose Rizal’s Padre Damaso and Maria Clara are the most famous examples of a Spanish (Filipino) friar and his illegitimate child.

To be in the good graces of the Spanish-Filipinos, one needed to be a loyal and hardworking servant. The easier way was to destroy the reputation of a favorite and extol one’s own qualities. Thus was born the Indios’ crab mentality.

Since going up the social ladder was based merely on the whims and caprices of the Spanish masters (called Filipinos), the indios needed to totally embrace the crab mentality in order to survive. A whisper from a favorite indio (an ilustrado) could mean life or death for an ordinary indio. And it went down the line. A word from a principaliaindio to an ilustrado indio could make or break an ordinary indio. This was the state of affairs for 350 years under Spanish rule.

When the Americans came, the indios, who were now called Filipinos, simply continued the tried and tested practice of crab mentality. The Americans simply replaced the Spaniards. New sidekicks like Tua Son became owners of vast tracts of lands. Others, like the Ayalas, married Americans. Many of the Ilustrados obtained legal ownership of the lands and businesses they managed in behalf of their Spanish masters just as many cronies obtained ownership of the companies they used to proxy for Marcos, to the great indignation of Marcos’s widow, Imelda.

The new Filipinos had to master the crab mentality again in order to succeed during the American Occupation. They especially needed it because the American regime opened up new vistas for the new Filipinos – government posts, employment in businesses, etc.

A new window of opportunity opened – American education. People who were educated and spoke English had greater chances of employment.

When Philippine Independence came, the Americans departed – well, most of them. A new round of sucking up and backbiting ensued. There were massive opportunities to join the ilustrado and principalia classes. And those who didn’t know how to play the game simply fell on the side.

Education became even more important in the social ladder. Educated people were taken in by the ilustrados to run their businesses or to be their proxies in the political arena. Education was publicized as the great Equalizer. The myth that good education guarantees good life was set in the agenda. “Education, not revolution”, was the idea promoted by the new Republic.

The pacifist Jose Rizal was declared the national hero while the exploits of revolutionaries Emilio Aguinaldo and Andres Bonifacio were downplayed. The educated cosmopolite Jose Rizal became the role model of the young new Filipinos.

But for the clever ones, they knew that the crab game was still the game to play – with or without education.

THE MORO FRONT

The Moros had a totally different historical experience. During the Spanish times, the various sultanates had to be strong to be able to survive the Spanish onslaught as well as the colonizing attempts of other Europeans like the Dutch, the Portuguese and the British.

The social system was quite fixed. There were the royals, the nobles, the Arabs (in Sulu they are called salips or sharifs), the freemen and the slaves. The Moros usually married within their class but they could be from other ethnic groups. The Tausugs usually intermarried with Bruneians or Samas; the Maguindanaons and Buayanens intermarried with Maranaos / Iranuns and even with Ternatans or Moluccans.

There was no room for the crab mentality. To go up the social ladder, one could join in the Moro raids on Spanish territories in Luzon and Visayas. And to protect those gains, one needed to support the datus and sultans in the fight against Spain.

Sultan Jamal ul Azam, the 29th Sultan of Sulu. 1886

It was only among royals that in-fighting occurred. The Maguindanaons and Buayanens were constantly fighting with each other. And if they were not fighting with each other, they fought the Taosugs for territories in mainland Mindanao. Sometimes, they formed united fronts together with Borneo and Ternate to fight the Spaniards.

Succession to the throne was always a major issue. And the Spaniards capitalized on that by supporting their favored royal. That was the extent of their crab mentality. But then, in order to have a claim on the throne, one needed to be born royal first and foremost.

AMERICAN OCCUPATION

The colonizers’ ‘divide-and-rule’ strategy created the environment conducive to the growth of the crab mentality. The coming of the Americans to Moroland was a double-triple whammy for the Moros. It was the beginning of the end for the Bangsa Moro people(s). First, the Americans played the game of divide-and-rule perfectly. Their ‘policy of attraction’ won over the Moros. Second, they brought along the new Filipinos, who had 350 years of

The New “Filipinos”. Filipino provincial governors. 1905

experience with the crab mentality. Third, they handed Moroland to the Indios, now called Filipinos, on a silver platter much like the way the Allies gave Palestine to the Jews.

With the coming of the Americans, new rounds of fighting occurred all over Moroland – Lanao, Maguindanao, Buayan, Sulu, Zamboanga, Palawan, Davao, etc. But America’s divide-and-rule strategy and policy of attraction tactic broke down the Moros into myriad datuships.

The datus either fought the Americans or vied for its friendship. The crab mentality had seeped into the Moro society. But only among the datu class.

PHILIPPINE NATIONHOOD

With the Americans came the Filipinos. The Filipinos were already veterans in the crab mentality game and they used it to the utmost. The Moros petitioned the US Congress and the US president not to include them in the Philippine statehood. The Filipino leaders led by Quezon and Osmeña constantly bombarded the US officials with

Seal of the Moro Province

the notion that the Moros and Filipinos belonged to one country. They even went to the US on several occasions to counter the Moro petitions.

With the Commonwealth came the Filipinization of the country. Filipino leaders, imitating their American masters, seduced Moro leaders with government posts which carried with them money and power.

The Moro datus were thus divided into two groups – the Filipinistas and the Americanistas. The Filipinistas bought into the concept of a Philippine statehood. They thought that the sweet-talking Filipino politicians would share power with them.

The Americanistas were the old-timers. They were suspicious of Filipinos and preferred American statehood, if not Moro independence.

World War II changed the world. Moros who were against Philippine statehood could do nothing when America handed them over to the Filipinos. They had neither the resources nor the inclination to fight another war.

Quezon said he would rather have a Philippines run like hell by Filipinos than a Philippines run like heaven by Americans. He got his wish, to the detriment of the Filipinos, including the Moros.

But from the time of Independence up to Marcos’s Martial law, the crab mentality in Moroland was limited to the ruling elites – the traditional leaders and the new political leaders.

But the good thing was that the Moro masses were largely suspicious of the Filipinos. And so they supported only Moro leaders who they thought would protect them against the Filipinos. Crab mentality had not yet reached their consciousness, generally speaking.

BANGSA MORO REVOLUTION

By the late 1960s, millions of Indios have settled in Mindanao, thanks to the systematic “colonization” policies of the government. Moro ancestral lands were distributed and parceled among the Indio settlers. Most of the logging and mining concessions were given to the Indios. The Moros were left with nothing except local political posts.

While the Indios already outnumbered the Moros, Moro political leaders were still being elected. The elites in Manila thought that this was a very cozy arrangement. Let the Moros fight over local electoral posts – congressional, gubernatorial, mayoral, etc. while the Indios control Mindanao economy.

But Ferdinand Marcos was more ambitious. He wanted political power in Mindanao, too. He needed that for his Martial Law. So, he told the Indios in Mindanao to set up Indio candidates and vote for these Indios against the traditional Moro politicians. And so in the 1969 elections, Indios became mayors, governors, congressmen, etc. in Mindanao.

The Moro politicians realized that sleeping with the Indios was not a good idea. And soon, all hell broke lose with Marcos unleashing his military-supported Indio vigilantes on the Moros. Moro political families had to fight them for dear life. And so the modern-day Bangsa Moro revolution was conceived.

But before its maturity, a foreign country intruded. Its Foreign Minister wanted to be the midwife to this revolutionary baby. And so, before its full term, a Caesarian delivery was caused by this foreign midwife. And thus, the modern-day Bangsa Moro revolution was born pre-maturely and eventually, its growth was stunted.

MARTIAL LAW

When Martial Law was declared, the Moro leaders were caught in a bind. They refused to collaborate with Marcos but they could not fight openly because the revolution had been taken away from them by the foreigners. The foreign-reared revolutionary baby grew strong with petro milk and military toys, but without massive support from the traditional leaders, the intellectuals and the Moro masses, it could not survive long.

Meanwhile Marcos employed the old reliable divide-and-rule tactic. He bought the commanders and political

The Marcos Conjugal Dictatorshp

leaders. He was able to buy off a few commanders. But the traditional Moro leaders stayed away. Only one politician and his extended family joined him. He thus became the biggest crony in Mindanao.

The Moro middle class realized that Marcos gave them a huge opportunity for personal aggrandizement. All one had to do was to be the lapdog of Marcos or his cronies. With most leaders and intellectuals shying away from Marcos, a new breed of politicians came to being. They were mainly characterized by their subservience to Mr. Marcos.

The Moro masses saw what was happening. And soon, they were also playing the crab game. Elsewhere, the Filipino masses also had the same observations. But they were old hands in this game.

POST-EDSA

When Corazon C. Aquino became President, almost everyone said that if a housewife could be President of the Republic, then anybody could assume any government posts. And every Tom, Dick and Harry – Moros and Indios alike — vied for the various government posts. Most of the OICs (officers-in-charge) had nothing to show for a résumé. The Bulong brigade, the Kamaganak, Inc. and the cordon sanitaire protected her from the mob who suddenly thought that they were capable of leadership. The crab mentality was at its height. And the Philippines officially turned from a Dictatorship to a Mediocracy – the rule of the mediocre.

One of the running joke commentaries on Pres. Aquino was based on her name – Corazon C. Aquino: Corazon (pointing to the heart), Sí (Yes); Aqui (Here, pointing to the head), No. It means that Cory was all heart and no brain.

The pre-Martial Law oligarchs came back, the Marcos cronies still retained their wealth, and everyone was trying to climb out of the basket while pushing and pulling everyone else down.

The august hall of the Senate started to be filled with entertainers – Orly Mercado, Freddie Webb and Joseph Estrada blazed the Senate trail for future entertainers.

MEDIOCRACY

Mediocracy is the form of government of the Philippine Republic. Mediocrity pervades the whole society – the bureaucracy, business and industry, education, etc. And the crab mentality insures that mediocracy remains and the Philippine society will never prosper and develop.

Mediocrity is the number one qualification the employers are looking for. They like mediocres, because they get paid little. Slowly, but surely, if they know how to play suck up, these mediocre people will rise through the ranks. It is whom you cling to that counts.

Take a look around you. Look at your banks. Look at the bank presidents and managers. If they are not the owners, they most probably started as clerks or even janitors. Through the years, they managed to suck up to their bosses who brought them along as they climbed up the ladder of success. So, how can these banks be run like world class banks when these are run by former clerks and janitors? What do they know of macroeconomics and microeconomics or econometrics or the latest trends in world banking?

Look at the film industry. Directors started as drivers or utility boys. By being loyal sidekicks, they work their way up to be directors. Do they know any film theories? Have they even seen the classics of world cinema? How could they compete with the world’s film industry? Even the Filipino masses got fed up with the trashy films produced by the locals.

Look at our energy industry. We have one of the most expensive electricity in Asia. We have an Oil Downstream Deregulation Law which makes oil prices even more expensive. While we are already in the 21st century, we still have thousands of barangays without electricity. We sold the majority shares of our own oil company (Petron) for what? A year later, the proceeds were given back to the three oil Majors due to supposed Oil Price Stabilization Fund (OPSF) balance. Saudi Aramco, which bought the Petron shares, immediately got back its investment, with profits to boot, in just a year’s time! And the poor Filipino people was left holding an empty bag.

In the late 1990s, a Congressman hogged the headlines with an idea for an Oil Exchange. And the Energy Secretary engaged him in endless debate. Finally, I sent a Letter to the Editor which explained that these gentlemen were merely exposing their “sophomoric knowledge” about the world oil industry. I then explained “The Truths About World Oil Market”, the title the editors gave my letter.

EDUCATION

Look at institutions of learning. To get into the faculty, the other faculty members must approve of the applicant. But if the applicant is intelligent and knowledgeable, the others would be scared. They want to get colleagues who are worse than them so they will not feel intimidated. So don’t wonder why Philippine universities rank so low in the world. Actually, the present rankings are even better than it should.

In most parts of the world, a University degree automatically means higher pay. Not in the Philippines. University degrees guarantee nothing. Employers and managers would rather get cheap labor.

To further institutionalize cheap “educated” labor, schools and industries create the concept of On-the-Job training where university students work in industries with NO pay. And in some industries, students even have to pay companies in order to work for them for FREE. This happens only in the Philippines and it boggles the imagination how such a ridiculous scheme could happen at all.

Filipinos are shocked when I tell them that when I had my practicum in Germany, while still in College, I was paid around 800 Deutsche Marks a month. When I had my 7-month on-the-job training in Saudi Arabia as part of my curriculum, I was paid 1000 US dollars a month.

While taking graduate studies at the University of Asia and the Pacific, we visited a computer plant in Subic. The Chinese manager praised to high heavens the Philippines and Filipinos. He said that in his country (Taiwan, I think), they could not get as many engineers. When we saw these Filipino engineers, I asked one of them how much she was getting. She was being paid the MINIMUM wage. And she was a computer engineer. Aside from her everyday expenses, she had to pay for her dorm. And when I saw what she was doing, I told her and the group with me that any high school graduate could do that job. She agreed.

No wonder the Taiwanese company could not get many Taiwanese engineers. I bet that no self-respecting Taiwanese computer engineer would agree to do such a job and with such a low salary.

I met a Malaysian who was a CITIBANK Country Manager. He was living in a condo in Makati. When I asked what his undergraduate course was, I got the shock of my life when he said he did not finish college. And then, as if to defend himself, he said that Malaysia is not like the Philippines where there are millions of University graduates.

But he was not in Malaysia. He was in the Philippines. Why would Citibank get a Malaysian with no University degree when it could get Filipinos with a PhD?! Why is Philippine education regarded so lightly by the employers – both local and foreign?

MASS MEDIA

Why can’t Filipino reporters / anchors ask intelligent and penetrating questions to their guests or interviewees just as they do at CNN or BBC or Sky International? When watching news interviews, I can’t help but yawn at the interviews. The interviewers not only are ignorant of the subjects but they are more interested in listening to their own voices than to the answers of the guests. Just a little bit of research can do wonders.

On many occasions, when reporters came to interview my eldest brother, he ended up telling the reporters what questions they should ask him. And the reporters loved it. It saved them from thinking. I found that so funny.

Yet when I worked in a government agency, I was so shocked when government top officials could not answer simple questions from reporters. It was not funny at all.

BUREAUCRACY

I am so glad I worked in the government service for a while. I got to see the real extent of mediocrity in the country. This was further corroborated by my experience in teaching at the University of the Philippines. There is no doubt about it. We live in a government of mediocres.

MERITOCRACY

If we want to be other than suppliers of cheap labor to the world, we must veer away from mediocracy. The only way for the Philippines to develop and progress is to strive towards MERITOCRACY. Leadership and practically everything else must be based on Merit. But that would be a long, hard struggle and it needs a strong political will. One step that needs to be taken is the overhaul of the bureaucracy or the Civil Service.

For the Bangsa Moro, it is imperative that they choose leaders based on Merit. As I wrote elsewhere, the decay of minorities is exponential. This means that sooner of later, the Moros — as a distinct nation with its own culture and historically-based traditions — would soon disappear unless they do something about it. They cannot afford the luxury of a crab mentality tradtion. They need leaders who are intelligent, articulate and who can and will fight for their rights and not be subservient to the powers that be. They need intellectuals. All successful revolutions were guided by intellectuals.

Only with meritocracy can we create world-class universities, world-class industries and world-class people. And if our leaders—both Moros and Indios — are chosen because of their merit, then we might even have enduring peace in the country and finally find a lasting solution to the Bangsa Moro Problem.

I find your point of view regarding this phenomena of Philippine crab mentality to very, very interesting. Being a Filipino, myself, raised in the U.S., then returning to the Philippines (Southern Luzon) as an adult to live and run a family business, I have witnessed this crab mentality in almost every aspect of Philippine culture and have wondered why it exists at a level that seems to be an inherent characteristic of the culture. You also mention mediocrity. This is another trait that seems to pervade many aspects of society — professional, governmental, private, educational, etc. I thought I was alone in my observations. I have been unable to express my feelings and thoughts to my relatives in the Philippines about the subject of mediocrity, lest they misjudge me as a snob. But it is true, there seems to be an abundance of mediocre performance. For example, why are products that are labeled “export quality” supposed to be of better quality? Does that mean that we (the Filipinos) are not good enough to receive high quality craftsmanship, and that it must be reserved only for foreign buyers?I enjoy reading your blogs and look forward to more.Regards.Comment by Aryianna — March 21, 2008 @ 6:56 am

Hi Aryianna,For centuries, the Filipinos were second-class citizens. Thus, they could not seem to equate themselves with the colonizers. I have seen so many Filipinos, even top government officials, who got tongue-tied when speaking to white foreigners. I saw one high ranking official who practically froze for a minute or so when spoken to by a foreigner.Yes, good quality products are reserved for foreigners. The poor Filipinos can expect only mediocre products.My Indonesian and Malaysian friends could not understand why the Marlboro cigarettes they bought in Manila tasted like paper. I could not explain to them that even foreign products have to downgrade their quality in order to be sold to the Filipinos. I just told them that there are two kinds of cigarettes in Manila: the local ones which taste funny and the “blue seal” which are the imported ones.They kept on asking why the local ones are not the same as the imported ones. Marlboro should taste like Marlboro wherever they were made. I could not answer them more. It would have taken a long time.When I compare Filipino films or novels to foreign ones, people immediately tell me that it is unfair to compare Filipino works with foreign ones. This really shocks me. Every writer, every artist has the right to be judged according to the world’s norms. I don’t want my writing or whatever that I do to be judged merely according to Philippine standards. I want my work to be compared to the world’s best. Nothing less than that.

Read the story of a Canadian priest whose career would be destroyed by the Crab Mentality.Fr. Tony Martin created two of the largest & most successful cooperative institutions in the Philippines, the Visayas Cooperative Development Center (VICTO) & the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO).At the height of his career in the Philippines in 1979, he was struck down by his former colleagues who wanted to take his place. Learn about his story at :www.anthonymartinmemorial.comAMMF-Toronto, CanadaComment by Anthony Martin — August 3, 2008 @ 10:05 pm

I am Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr. I am a Wikipedia editor-contributor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Florentino_floro
In my experience with Filipino Forums like PinoyExchange, and dealings with Filipino editors in Wikipedia, I value so much the Filipino delicacy of crab mentality. Tersely defined, this Filipino malady is “stalking” of the highest order. In my 5,800 contributions to Wikipedia, I had never had any problem with foreign editors, but daily, a Filipino stalker duets with an anonymous registered user who, in conspiracy, duets to “crab mentalize” my good faith edits. However, I recite Psalms 109 and 73 to imprecate these crabs, and more importantly, biblically cursed and put stain in their bloods up to the 4th generation. This crab illness is unique to Filipino culture, especially in Davao City.Comment by Judge Florentino Floro — September 15, 2008 @ 6:26 pm

seems like you’ve had researched well and not only put up opinions in your post. I am enlightened but I still have my own opinions.. What I just want to say is that now that we have found out what our problem is, and has greatly understood it, maybe the next step is giving a solution to our national problem: Crab mentality. …aside from that can I ask one thing? I don’t know if i’m right, but Is it the Bangsa Moro’s plan to seperate itself from the philippines? I think this is not the solution..we need to help each other for us to succeed in this ‘mediocre’ society. I’m a christian and from Manila, but I think religion or distance should separate us all. if we can have peace in mindanao, I think only then will we have a chance to clean this stupid mentality from our brothers, we the next generation need to be enlightened on the previous’ problems and solutions if not this lowly cycle will never end.Comment by Brendon Ellis Bigay — March 6, 2009 @ 6:20 pm

the crab mentality, narcissistic individuals ruins ideas, lives, relationships, even communities and country (in our case). we need to get out of it. Lets say we start creating legacy for our children’s children. Put a shame on those type of people. Then, though it’s not that easy, and not that quick, we must focus on contributing to a better Philippines. We can get there in time, if we don’t, our children will, or our grandchildren will.
it’s a shame that our children is subjected to racism, crab mentality in their own family, own community, own country because of most adult’s irresponsibility and ignorance.Comment by womanwhowrites — March 26, 2009 @ 5:05 am

I am so delighted to know that younger filipinos abroad seek to recognized the problem why our country that is so rich in natural resources is so poor. I realized the crab mentality long time since I went to school,observed everywhere. I researched why our nation full of university graduates is not progressing. I am now a canadianized filipino, but my heart aches and long for my first homecountry.I still want to go back and serve my country, but I don’t know when. I am working full time and at the same time going to school in order to get more knowledge for me to bring to the country and at least impart to my countrymen. At least educate younger student for them to guide them in their endeavours to change the country in to a better. Crab mentality is like cancer, needed to be treated painfully, I am hopefull younger ones will get the uproot this horrible social disease.I am hopefull next generation will make it better.Comment by praxedes angeles — June 19, 2009 @ 6:07 am

nice, i learned from this…. but one thing is sure: Crab Mentality Is Universal.Comment by leo — February 5, 2010 @ 11:16 am

I agree that crab mentality is a disease. But I don’t see how this disease could be more evident on my race, a Filipino. This is a disease of the heart. It’s a character flaw that has maybe been worsened by the practices or traditions during the Spanish era.
This probably isn’t the point of this article. But I can’t stand by and not say something when I keep hearing the term “crab mentality” being tagged to our race. Don’t you think that’s unfair? It’s evident on every race, every culture, every era, every society. It has nothing to do with us being Filipinos. You say we drag each other down to mediocrity – try living with the whites or the blacks or the arabs or the jews or the brits or the aristocrats. I have an idea… why don’t we start by not looking down on our race too much and see if that will stop the crab mentality?Comment by lay — April 4, 2010 @ 6:32 pm

@leo, @lay. I agree that crab mentality is universal in the sense that it is exhibited by people from practically all countries. But in other countries, people with crab mentality are the exceptions. In the Philippines, I’m afraid crab mentality is the rule.I have lived among the Arabs. I went to University in the Middle East. I have lived among the Europeans,too. I found some very envious people and some who suck up to the bosses. But really, I found nothing that is of the same magnitude as practised in the Philippines.
The Filipinos in the US, for example, may be discriminated upon (or envied or disliked) by the whites or the blacks, but that is not the same as crab mentality.
@Lay, you hit the mark there — Filipinos should stop looking down on their race. But that is easier said than done. The Filipinos have been conditioned to do so by their collective consciousness through their historical experience, by their history books (written by Spaniards, Americans and Westernized Filipinos), by the educational system, by Big Business (which is controlled by foreigners), by the political system, etc.
As I wrote in my other posts, the Filipinos need to search for their real Identity. Without identity, one is nothing.Comment by jamalashley — April 12, 2010 @ 12:21 am

Like this:

It is quite unfortunate that the bloghost BLOGSOME.COM closed shop a couple of years ago and my blog for so many years – Reflections on the Bangsa Moro – got lost forever. Tonight, while surfing the web, I saw one of my popular posts in that blog archived here. The blogpost – Maratabat and Maranaos – was very popular and was cited by other sites, including WIKIPEDIA in its entries for Feud and Rido. It was published online on May 1, 2007

So here it is:

May 1, 2007

Maratabat and the Maranaos

The concept of Maratabat is much talked about but only half-understood by most non-Maranaos and even by some Maranaos. First and foremost, maratabat is not about revenge killing, which is related to rido (blood feud).

Maratabat is about honor, “face”, dignity, sense of shame, sense of pride, ethics, etiquette, protocol, and self-esteem. It is an age-old guide to social relations, individual and collective action.

Maratabat is a code of conduct on how individuals should treat himself, his family, his relations, and other people. If he follows the rules, others are expected to reciprocate. But if he does not, then no one is obliged to treat him according to the maratabat norms.

If a leader or a datu does not treat his people well, then he cannot expect respect from the people. If a leader does not fight for his people, then he cannot expect his people to fight for him. Maratabat is a two-way affair.

In the same vein, if a father does not respect his adult children, then his adult children need not respect their father.

In fact, according to Maratabat, a man who abandons his family for no reason at all must be punished – by the children.

Tindәg

Related to the concept of Maratabat is the concept of Tindәg. I take this to mean moral and social stature. My mother used to gauge people by their Tindәg. She usually praised to high heavens those who have mala-a- Tindәg or with high moral and social stature.

These people whom my mother heaped praises upon have similar characteristics. They usually have high self-esteem and confidence. They are gracious and diplomatic. Anybody who comes to their homes — be they rich or poor, powerful or powerless – are welcomed with open arms and sincerity. They are at home with fellow Moros and with strangers. More importantly, they are not intimidated by powerful non-Moro or foreign officials.

Gracious Host / Hostesses

The people whom my mother referred to as having mala-a- Tindәg are gracious hosts / hostesses. People who come to their home, even uninvited ones, can expect a gracious greeting, small chat and some food. This sounds very petty but it is not.

I know many non-Moros who dislike people coming to their homes, especially when unexpected. Many Filipinos prefer guests to come only when invited so they can clean and beautify their houses beforehand and can prepare grand meals. But for unexpected guests, especially relatives, they can expect nothing more than soft drinks and a hello-and-goodbye from the hosts.

Intimidated By Foreigners / Powerful People

When one has maratabat, one cannot be intimidated by others because one has self-esteem. In the 1950s, Basilan City Mayor Leroy Brown was sued in Zamboanga. Brown was installed as Basilan’s Military Mayor by the Americans after WWII. In 1954 Magsaysay appointed him (Civilian) Mayor of Basilan. In his diary, my father, who was the presiding judge, wrote that he was visited first by Congressman (later Senator) Roseller Lim and then by Senator (later Vice President) Emmanuel Pelaez. They told him that President Magsaysay wanted a verdict favoring the American. My father told them that he could not believe that President Magsaysay would try to interfere in the judicial process. He later ruled against Mayor Brown.

Do we still have judges like my father? His maratabat forbade him to follow the dictates of the President of the Republic, the man who appointed him as judge.

According to my mother, once in a party in Jolo, she was with her friends Tausug Princesses Tarhata Kiram and Inda Taas. With them was the young Tarhata Alonto – Lucman, the daughter of Senator Alauya Alonto and wife of my mother’s cousin, Congressman Rashid Lucman. When the foreign ambassadors came, the younger Tarhata stood up to meet them. But the older Tarhata told her to be seated. “Ambassadors come to Princesses, my dear, not the other way around,” the older Tarhata advised the younger Tarhata.

In 1980 or so, my mother and the above-mentioned Tarhata Alonto-Lucman were praying in the Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque in Mecca during Eid-ul- Fitr. Before the prayers began, a woman came and asked a now much older Tarhata to vacate the place because her employer, a Saudi princess, was going to occupy the place. Former Governor Tarhata told the woman that she would not go anywhere because she was also a princess. The woman asked where she came from and then left. She asked some other people to leave their places instead.

After the prayers, the Saudi princess took out bags full of money and distributed them around. And the woman came back to ask for Tarhata’s sajada (prayer rug). She said it would please her much to have the prayer rug of a princess from Mindanao!

The two Tarhata’s actions were examples of maratabat. Even non-Maranaos practice them, too.

According to my uncle, Sultan Rashid Lucman, he once went to an office of a Saudi official in Mecca. While talking with him, the Saudi official put up one foot on his chair and acted in a disrespectful manner. Sultan Lucman, who was dressed formally, slapped the Saudi’s leg and told him to sit properly when talking to him.

Still in the 1980s, my second brother had a meeting with an American official at Manila Peninsula. As his habit, my brother went to the meeting dressed in coat and tie. The American, on the other hand, came wearing shirt and jogging pants. My brother scolded him, told him never to wear a track suit in formal meetings and left. The American was so shocked; he immediately called my eldest brother in Jeddah and told him that he just got a scolding from our brother in Manila.

When Spain’s Juan Carlos de Borbon y Borbon and Sophia de Grecia came to the Philippines, my eldest sister refused to attend the gala dinner for them because everyone was ordered to bow before the Spanish royalty. My sister did not want to bow to them. This is not only in accordance with Maratabat but also in accordance with Islam. Man/woman bows to no one but God.

Can you picture Christian Filipinos doing the things above — saying No to the President of the Republic, waiting for foreign ambassadors to come to them instead of going to the ambassadors, bawling out a Saudi or American official for disrespectful sitting or dressing, refusing to give way to a Saudi princess or declining to meet the Spanish King and Queen?

When one has maratabat, one can never be subservient to others. In Saudi Arabia, the Saudis prefer to have Christian Filipinos as workers. They do not like Moros because Moros fight back unlike the Christian Filipinos who are so subservient and submissive.

I have seen with my own eyes how Filipino top officials got tongue-tied when faced with Americans or other Caucasian foreigners. On several occasions, I had to speak up for the Filipinos against foreigners bashing the Filipino character because all the Christian Filipinos around just clam up in front of a Filipino-bashing foreigner.

Sadly, there are now many Maranaos who clam up in front of Maranao- or Moro-bashing Filipinos or foreigners. I have seen and heard how Maranao “leaders” become meek and mild mannered in front of Philippine government officials. Sadly, these people have lost their maratabat.

Maratabat As Avenging Wrongs

Maratabat is known among non-Maranaos as simply vengeful killings. Maratabat is not the cause of vengeful killings. It is the other way around. Vengeful killings are caused by a breach of maratabat. Sometimes the breach can be caused by the silliest things.

When I was in grade school in Manila, we received a telegram from my sisters in Lanao urging our mother to go there immediately because it was “a matter of life and death.” My mother sent one of my brothers there. The “matter of life and death” was nothing but a rumor spread by my sisters’ friends who were envious of their fashionable dresses from Manila. My brother was able to determine the culprits – my sisters’ friends and classmates — who admitted their wrong deeds and apologized to my sisters. After the apology, they were back to being best of friends.

The Maranao society has mechanisms to end Rido or Blood Feuds. There are arbitrations. Even murders can be settled through discussion by the elders. The Maranao elders are quite good in settling disputes.

The maratabat code instructs people to behave courteously, and to respect a person’s age, rank, bloodline, abilities and dignity. If society follows maratabat, then there would be peace and order.

Today, however, many people respect only money or the 3 G’s – guns, goons and gold. Many Maranaos have imbibed the Filipino crab mentality. They think that if they can suck up to Filipino officials, they can have money and power, then they can already do what they want to do and to hell with maratabat. They can even buy royal titles.

Once, because they were in Manila, surrounded by Filipino officials and in a quasi-judicial setting, one Maranao lawyer forgot about maratabat and became very discourteous. He shouted, “And who is Abbas anyway?” Well, my brothers immediately cut him down to size. Thanks to the immediate intercession of the many people around, the cutting down to size was done only figuratively speaking. That incident could have started a rido between our clans. That fellow must have thought that Maratabat stays only in Lanao. It does not. Maratabat is in the heart of every self-respecting Maranao.

It is the breach of maratabat that causes blood feuds and breakdowns in peace and order in Maranao society.

Loss of Maratabat

When a relative told me that he begged and cried to his boss, who was also his relative, not to fire him, I felt so sad. I felt sad not because he lost his job, but because he lost his maratabat. I would rather drown in the lake than beg for a job. I would rather lose a job than lose my “face”.

Many years ago, I saw the Marawi City mayor’s vehicle, presumably with the mayor inside, stopped and inspected by the military at the entrance of Mindanao State University. I was stunned. This was his city and outsiders (sarwang tao) were lording over him.

Today, a Christian general is the President of Mindanao State University. Are there no competent and qualified Maranaos for the job? What does this say about the Maranaos’ maratabat?

Leaders with Maratabat

When they were young, my father, Datu Macapanton Abbas, Sr. together with his best friends Datu Domocao Alonto, Datu Duma Sinsuat, Datu Salipada Pendatun, Sultan Ombra Amilbangsa and a couple others called themselves the Knights of Muhammad. They vowed to serve, protect and promote the interests of the Moro people.

From his diary, I realized how different the Moro leaders were from what the Moro leaders are now. Before, they were in constant contact with each other. And they always thought about the interests of Islam and the Moro people. They were happy if one gets elected or appointed or sent as delegate to foreign shores. And they bowed down to no one. They were not “tutas” (lapdogs) of the powers-that-be.

In the late 50s, they began to see that the Philippine “nation-state project” was not going well for the Moros. Amilbangsa filed a bill in Congress for the separation of the Sultanate of Sulu from the rest of the Philippines.

My father helped in the capture of Kamlon, whose rebellion cost the government millions of pesos and many lives including the crack Nenita unit of the Philippine Constabulary. While he found Kamlon guilty and gave him the maximum sentence (my father was a stickler for legal technicalities), he recommended that Kamlon be given amnesty as promised by the government. The government reneged on their promise although later Kamlon’s death sentence was commuted to life sentence. Kamlon stayed in jail until President Marcos pardoned him many years later.

After the Jabidah Massacre, the Moro leaders knew that the Moros needed to rise up or be forever doomed. Unfortunately, my father and Amilbangsa had already passed away. But the others created what eventually became the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Alonto’s brother-in-law, Sultan Rashid Lucman fathered the modern-day Bangsa Moro revolution. Through primarily his efforts, 90 Moro cadres were sent to Sabah for military training. The so-called Top 90 became the core of the MNLF.

Alonto founded the Ansar el-Islam. Later Lucman and Pendatun teamed up with my eldest brother, Macapanton Abbas, Jr. to form the Bangsa Moro Liberation Organization (BMLO). Datu Duma died in the 1970s. He was a delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention.

These leaders had maratabat. They are now all gone. Can others replace them?

In fine, Maratabat is not about killing people for petty reasons. It is living in a courteous, respectful, ordered and civilized society. It can also be avenging wrongs. It is about self-determination. It is above all, about Freedom. Freedom from want (family, clan and society provides for one’s needs), Freedom from fear (family, clan, society provides for one’s physical protection), Freedom of speech and assembly to seek redress from grievances (ad hoc arbitration committees composed of elders from both clans), and Freedom of expression (Maranaos love oratory, public speaking, lyrical poems (bayoks), story-telling, songs, dances and artistic designs).

*************************

Datu Jamal Ashley Yahya Abbas

9 COMMENTS

salam alaikum,your site is very informative, for muslims and non-muslims, keep it up. may allah reward you the best. did you read the swish of kris by vic hurley. it is very informative. i embrace islam many years back, i love the bangsamoro for they are the truest patriot of this islands and defender of faith. you and your ancestors have a share for my islam because you hold tight to it until it reached me! salam.

Congratulations to you Datu Jamal Ashley Yahya Abbas for this very informative blog. I came across your website when I browsed through “The Ruthless Political Entrepreneurs of Muslim Mindanao by Pancho Lara”. Mr. Benru Z. Martinez was very helpful in posting your website in his comments. My curiousity was triggered in wanting to understand the (reason/cause) behind the so-called “Maguindanao massacre”. Keep it up!

Humbleness or Humility is better than Maratabat as Jesus said:“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

I am a freelance writer and I am writing a thesis of my client about the insurgencies in Southern Philippines. Much as I would like to interpret it in my own way which the book cannot say in words unless you live with the community yourself. It is true that it’s hard to express the word “maratabat” but I guess this kind of attitude is like a “vendetta” among Muslims and I for one have witnessed this since I grew up in Marawi City myself. Don’t you think that this is one of the main reasons why the conflict between the Muslim and Christians in Mindanao still prevailed up to the present time? It is because it is hard to heal the old wounds of the past…..

@iznairah, I thought I had already explained it in this post that Maratabat is NOT vendetta at all although for some people it may seem that way. That RIDO or bloodfeud caused by Maratabat is the main cause of the deteriorating peace and order in Mindanao and the real cause of the Moro Problem is the SPIN being disseminated by the Media, the government and their ally NGOs. This is to deviate the attention of the people to the REAL causes of the Bangsa Moro struggle.

If you say that it is hard to heal the old wounds of the past is the cause of the conflict, then part of the blame lies among the Christians who simply could not let go of their old way of thinking about the Moros. Does that mean the Christian Filipinos also have Maratabat?

BTW, you say that you are “writing a thesis of” your “client”? Are you saying that you have a client who is supposed to be writing a thesis for an academic degree; and you are doing it for him/her? Is that allowed? I used to teach and used to check and grade thesis papers.

The Zamboanga zarzuela or moro-moro (Philippine traditional stage plays) finally ends its 10-day run in Philippine media. Well, it’s not yet really finished, but what is left is just the epilogue.

On Sept. 9, 2013, the media reported that some 200 or 300 MNLF men loyal to Misuari attacked some villages in Zamboanga city and were holding hostage the residents there.

Really, why in the world would 200 or 300 MNLF rebels attack Muslim villages? With 200 or 300 men, they could easily attack the City Hall or the police or even the military garrisons. Only the ignorant and the gullible would believe such a scenario. As the MNLF spokesman said, “If we attack a village, we pulverize them.”

Although the alleged MNLF rebels were supposedly holed up only in 3 villages, Zamboanga City was in stand still. All flights were cancelled, schools and offices were suspended, and a curfew was installed. For what?

UPDATE: I made a few calls to inquire what is going on in Zamboanga City. The MNLF has to implement an effective civil defense plan to secure their lives and secure a high-level MNLF leader.

CAUSE: People sighted a GPH Police/Military large troop movement (LTM) that is tactical in nature (full battle gear). We have no information on why the GPH Police/Military launched a tactical LTM. I think the military should explain. If the GPH movement was a non-tactical movement, the 1995 MNLF-GPH Ceasefire Ground Rules Section 4 (on Movements) says “Non-tactical movements of GRP and MNLF forces outside their identified places shall be coordinated by concerned/affected GRP and MNLF commander(s).”

EFFECT: The military movement caused the MNLF to organize into an armed defensive formation (ADF) into a strategic convergence zone. During ADF, the public would see MNLF (from all point of origin) in groups of a squad or a platoon to move towards the direction of the ADF convergence zone.

NOTES: Media published it as an “ATTACK”. The truth is, there was no “ATTACK” because there are no shootings yet. The media should be careful next time, they could have just said that “there are sightings of large troops movement”.

HOSTAGES: If you mean like a hold-up hostage situation that you see in movies, there is none. Everyone in Zamboanga City now is a hostage inside their houses or cars as a result of their own fear, especially those inside the convergence zone.OTHER GROUPS: Normally, when there is a “SCARE” as a result of irresponsible media, the people (MNLF, MILF, Fake MNLF, Fake MILF, Political Private Armies, Individual Gun Owners, etc etc) will naturally arm themselves in full battle gear. This is what you will see in Zamboanga now.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Zamboanga is in an armed-conflict vulnerable status right now.

PROPOSED SOLUTION: To defuse the tension, make the GPH Police/Military explain the LTM they initiated and publish it on the news. Then allow sufficient TIME for the people to overcome their fears and they will gradually go back to their homes.

All throughout the so-called standoff and up to now, Misuari and his MNLF maintain that they have nothing to do with the Zamboanga affair. And they insist on impartial investigation by international parties.

A few days later, MNLF Commander Jabir (Habier) Malik was said to be the leader of the MNLF rebels holed out in the villages. And the next day, he was reported to have been killed. A day later, he was interviewed via phone patch by an online news group.

On Thursday, Sept. 12, Rappler.com reported that 80 MNLF rebels, with 35 hostages, surrendered to the police in Barangay Sta. Barbara. But Mar Roxas, the Secretary of the Dept. of Interior and Local Governments, and head of the government task force in Zamboanga handling the alleged MNLF attack, denied that there any surrender. Rappler, however, stood by its story.

Around the 5th or 6th day of the Zamboanga play, President B.S. Aquino arrived in Zamboanga, declaring that “MNLF’s happy days are over.”

But the play dragged on. Thousands of troops were sent to Zamboanga. More tanks and ammunition arrived for the soldiers. Media hype continued.

But the biggest attraction in the land still remained the PDAF or Pork Barrel scam. The people’s attention refused to let go the pork barrel scam which involved senators, congressmen and government officials.

And then we saw this on TV:

Looks like the game was up! From the TV news clip, it was very clear that it was all staged. There were no MNLF men in the area.

GENERAL ORDER FOR THE MNLF: Stay at home or somewhere safe, maintain a low profile, and avoid any trouble. But be ready to protect your life and your family if your household is harassed. The genuine MNLF is not involved in that chaos in Zamboanga and nearby towns. Don’t get swayed by the bandwagon of media. If your senior officers in the unit would ask you to prepare for a combat mission, please report the name to me 0921-7172040 so I can warn you if that person is in the list of the over 200 Fake MNLFs that we intercepted. Allahuakbar!…The following are the major Counterfeit MNLF operators in Zamboanga and Basilan area. Please do not obey any kind of instructions (especially combat recruitment instructions) from these persons.George Sampang Abdulsalim Laki Wahi Bulleng Montong Kiram Abdullah Ocacc Mohammad Hj. Sahipa Walsa
Manalbang Tahil Tuan Samili Usman Powa Degte Ibrahim Akramin Menembanl Nurmina Mahamud
Afdar Salik Hj. Abbas Tangkian Min Alam Hb. Andang Hashim Lacson Sawadjaan Abdullajid HB. Hussein
Hj. Abdua Jakaria Hatimil Hassan Jan Jakilan Mitsuara Hassan Ustadz Abdulmuhmin Mujamid Likhab Salahuddin
Aramel Amirin Datu Bungsu Mursalun Ustadz Hassan Jaiiani

According to the Media, military intelligence report has it that Misuari is ill. Maybe because of his illness, the military and government took advantage and created this hullabaloo.Perhaps the producers/directors of the play sensed that it was time to wrap up, the military let loose its ammunition and bombed the villages, including the one where Dr. Marietta Galvez said in the video that there were no MNLF men there.After bombing the place, all Muslim residents there were tagged as MNLF, which was exactly what the MNLF was saying all along,

To add another twist to the moro-moro, on Sept 17, it was announced that the Zamboanga Police chief was kidnapped by the MNLF rebels. A day later, the police chief surfaced with 23 alleged MNLF rebels in tow. He said he and three of his men pursued a lead on a reported group of rebels. They then bumped into these 23 rebels. And lo and behold, he persuaded them to surrender because these alleged rebels needed the police’s help to go back to their hometown, neighboring island of Basilan.

Hmmm. Looks like the scriptwriters were running out of credible scenarios. Here’s a link to the video of the interview with the Police Chief:

And so what does this all mean? For one thing, it means that the Philippine government is not sincere in the Peace Talks. For another, it means the government is now ready to treat Misuari as insignificant and throw away the government’s “Final Peace Agreement” with the MNLF.

But most importantly, this means that the Bangsa Moro people are left with NO PROTECTORS. The MILF apparently doesn’t care what happens to the Moros as long as the group gets its Bangsamoro substate. The MNLF, on the other hand, is divided into the Misuari faction, which is now shown to be impotent and others which are either in cahoots with the government or are afraid of the government.

I guess it’s about time for a new Bangsa Moro revolutionary movement.

==============

A look at the happy faces of the actors after curtain call:

TV CHAR GEN: 15 MNLF MEMBERS FROM BASILAN SURRENDER TO THE AUTHORITIES

When Filipinos commit murder in foreign countries, the Philippine government go on bended knees asking foreign countries to spare the lives of these Filipinos.

When the Sultan’s relatives went to Sabah, which was the home of the Tausugs for centuries, they were immediately threatened and humiliated by the Philippine President. (The Sultan’s and Rajah Muda’s father lived for some time in Sabah)

PRESIDENT AQUINO’S ACTIONS

The sheer arrogance of the President, his utter disrespect to the Sulu royalty (and by extension to the Bangsa Moro people), his belittling of the Sabah claim and his humiliating subservience to the Malaysian Prime Minister are so mind-numbing.

I cannot understand how any self-respecting Moro could stomach the sheer arrogance of PeNoy and his people towards the Sultan, his people (and by extension the Bangsa Moro) and the claim to Sabah.

As to the government’s claim to Sabah, it is as clear as day that the President practically gave it up. First, he called it “a hopeless cause”. Second, he acknowledged Malaysia’s ownership of Sabah which is AGAINST THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION (ARTICLE I, NATIONAL TERRITORY: The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein, AND ALL OTHER TERRITORIES OVER WHICH THE PHILIPPINE HAS SOVEREIGNTY OR JURISDICTION consisting ….); AGAINST PHILIPPINE LAWS like RA 5446 and AGAINST GOVT PROTOCOL (Memorandum Circular No. 162, s. 2008).

Why is this unheard of subservience to the Malaysians? Their part in the Framework Agreement is not enough justification. Is the Philippine government supposed to be ever grateful to the Malaysians because of their mediation in the Peace Talks between the Government and the MILF?

But why? People naturally infer that the Malaysians favor the MILF, their fellow Muslims. So the Lahad Datu crisis should have given the Philippine government the chance to exercise leverage over Malaysia and thus weaken the the ties between MILF and Malaysia.

MALAYSIAN ACTIONS

The even more arrogant actions and statements of the Malaysians, even when referring to the Philippine government is so mind-boggling as it has no precedence in the history of Malaysian-Philippine relations.

While I love Malaysia – the country and its people, I, like many right-thinking Filipinos, am shocked at the actions and statements of the Malaysian government. I believe they would not do that without the imprimatur of the Philippine government.

MAKES US WONDER

But the actions of the Philippine President now make many people wonder. Has the Philippine government agreed to drop the Sabah claim in exchange for a peace agreement with the MILF ?

But why would the Philippine government do that? A peace deal with the Moros is never to the interests of the government, at least to the minds of the Christian majority. Just remember the passionate hatred for the MOA-AD by the Filipino majority.

If a peace pact is important to the government, then we would have had a working peace agreement a long time ago. It looks like there is something else that the people do not know. Perhaps to sweeten the deal, Malaysia offered something else – like a few billion pesos in exchange for a peace deal AND the dropping of the claim?

The government’s announcement that the MILF has dropped the claim on Palawan becomes very telling. While the MILF agreed to limit the talks on the small ARMM, which excludes about half of the Moros in the Philippines, I don’t see anything on the Framework Agreement that says Palawan or any other parts of the Philippines shall never be able to join the ARMM. On the contrary, I think there is a proviso that allows for future entry of barangays, cities, municipalities or even provinces.

MILF’S ACTIONS

The MILF’s apparent anger over the Lahad Datu incident, their approval of the handling of the event by the PeNoy government, Eid Kabalu’s nomination for ARMM governor and his appointment as consultant to the Armed Forces of the Philippines make one doubtful of MILF.

The MILF’s arrogance in saying that the Moros should not do anything which would imperil the peace talks is sheer B.S. Are the peace talks only for the benefit of the MILF? Are all Moro concerns supposed to be put in the back burner until the Peace Talks are ended? When will that be? In 2016 when there will be another Philippine president?

So please tell us, what have the Philippine government and the MILF sold to the Malaysian government? The Bangsa Moro and the whole Filipino people deserve to know.

On March 1, 2013, Friday 2 pm, the Malaysian and Philippine governments announced that the Lahad Datu Standoff had ended with the surrender of 10 men of the ragtag “Royal Sulu Forces”. Two days later, the Rajah Muda (Crown Prince) and his 200 or so men are still in Lahad Datu while the Philippine President keeps on repeating that the Sulu people should surrender as the patience of the Malaysian Prime Minister is running thin.

The Philippine and Malaysian governments were obviously lying. I don’t know what excuses they said when up to now, the stand off is still, well, a stand off.

Below is an article I wrote in the late afternoon of March 1 when the Philippine media were all talking about the end of the standoff.

While the Philippine government announced the end of the Lahad Datu standoff, reports from Sabah says heavy fightig between the Malaysian military and the forces of the Sultan of Sulu are on-going.

The Sultan of Sulu in Manila announced in late afternoon that some 68 Malaysian soldiers have been killed. This is confirmed by sources at the Sandakan Hospital in Sandakan, Sabah.

END OF STANDOFF?

Earlier, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Raul Hernandez announced that Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Zamri Mohammad Kassim has delivered the news that ten of the people from Sulu have surrendered, thus ending the stand off. The end supposedly came about 2:00 in the afternoon.

The 200 or more men who came from Sulu apparently left by boat and left the 10 surrenderees. The Malaysian ambassador also informed the Philippines that two Malaysian commandos died while twelve of the Sulu Sultan’s men perished.

The Sulu Sultan has earlier announced that ten of his brother’s companions in Sabah has been killed, including a woman while four were wounded.

MARTIAL LAW IN LAHAD DATU

Sources in Sabah say that Martial Law has been declared in Lahad Datu with a 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM curfew.

The airport in Lahad Datu was closed and all flights were cancelled.

There are also various reports that ethnic Tausug Malaysians are being rounded up by the military for interrogation. The ethnic Taosugs, whose forefathers are from Sulu, are now in panic mode.

The Philippine government has asked Malaysia for permission to send a ship to Lahad Datu to pick up the ten surrenderees and to treat the wounded.

In a note verbale, the Philippine government also asked for an explanation of the military operation that resulted in a dozen deaths.

With the announcement of the Sultan of the deaths of 68 soldiers and the imposition of Martial Law, it is still unclear if the standoff in Lahad Datu has indeed ended.

Firefight broke out between the Malaysian forces and the forces of Datu Agbimuddin Kiram, the Rajah Muda (Crown Prince) of the Sultanate of Sulu in Southern Philippines around 10:00 am Friday, according to media interviews with the Rajah Muda in Lahad Datu and the Sultan of Sulu in Manila.

The Philippine government’s Department of Foreign Affairs announced that there were no casualties.

The Kirams said there have been casualties on their side but they could not confirm if there were casualties on the Malaysian side. Abraham Ijirani, the Sultan’s spokesman said that ten of Raja Muda’s people were killed, including one woman. Four are wounded.

According to sources at Sandakan Hospital in Sandakan, Sabah, there now 20 Malaysian dead, as of 1: 40 pm.

The Lahad Datu airport is closed and the military, not the police, are the ones fighting the Moros. Another source in Sabah said that fighting has now erupted in Kunak, a small town near Lahad Datu.

The Rajah Muda and his men, some 200 of them, reportedly arrived in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia on Feb. 11, 2013. The Malaysian authorities alleged that the men from Sulu were armed.

The Malaysian authorities notified the Philippine government about the situation and asked that the Filipinos deal with the Rajah Muda’s men initially.

Emissaries from the Malaysian and Philippine governments talked with the Rajah Muda but no positive results were obtained.

HOME IN SABAH

The Sultan of Sulu, Jamal ul Kiram III announced that his brother, the Rajah Muda and his men simply went home, as Sabah has been home to the people of Sulu since the 1650s when the Sultanate of Brunei gave Sabah and Palawan to the Sultanate of Sulu in compensation for helping the Brunei Sultan fight a war against a rival claimant to the Brunei throne.

In 1878, the Sultanate leased Sabah to Baron von Overbeck and Alfred Dent for an annual fee. Overbeck and Dent later transferred the lease to the British North Borneo Company. The company continued paying the rent.

All the while, the British government acknowledged the sovereignty of the Sulu Sultan over Sabah. In 1946, 4 days after the US gave the Philippines, which included Sulu, independence, Great Britain announced it was taking over the “sovereignty” of North Borneo by virtue of an agreement with the British North Borneo Company. The Philippine government protested.

In 1957, Great Britain gave its Malay colonies independence. The Malay sultanates in what is now West Malaysia formed themselves into a nation-state called MALAYA. The Sulu royalty protested and revoked its lease agreement to the British North Borneo Company.

In 1963, with the help of Britain, Malaya incorporated Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore to form the Federation of Malaysia. The Sulu Sultanate temporarily transferred its sovereign rights over Sabah to the Philippines. President Diosdado Macapagal protested the inclusion of Sabah into Malaysia and sent a delegation to London.

Officially, the Philippine government has not dropped its claim to Sabah. The Sabah state continues to pay rental fee, which it calls “cession money”, to the Sultanate upto today.

On Feb. 26, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, in a press conference, called on the Sultan of Sulu to ask his brother and his men to stand down and go back to Sulu.. He sent ships to fetch the Moros. He also threatened to file charges against the Sultan and his people.

The President practically dropped the Philippines’ claim on Sabah by calling it “a hopeless cause”.

The Rajah Muda refused to budge as he wants Malaysia to start negotiating regarding Sabah.

According to a source in Sabah, a Tausug engineer who refused to be identified for fear of his safety, the Malaysian authorities had cordoned off the area since a week ago, and laid siege to the Moros.

“There is news blackout in Malaysia,” he says. He said that aside from the 300 or so armed men around the Rajah Muda, there are around 800 armed men in a nearby town named Sampurna and at least 1000 more armed and ready in the nearby islands in the Sulu Sea,

He says that no news reporters are allowed in Lahad Datu.

A Filipino traveler in Kuala Lumpur said that there are many people sympathetic to the Kirams. “There are hundreds of thousands of ethnic Tausugs in Sabah and they support the Sultan,” he said. (end)
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jamalashley is based in Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines, and is a Stringer for Allvoices.